Winter's Tale Page #2

my body temperature within reason.

I have maybe...

according to one doctor who came up

from Baltimore, a year and a half.

In Boston, they said six months.

But that was eight months ago...

so really, I'm already

two months dead.

I'm Peter Lake.

And where are you from, Peter Lake?

A boat.

- A boat?

- Yeah.

I never knew my parents.

Boat washed up ashore in Brooklyn.

So I was told.

And you steal things.

I do steal things. Yeah,

from time to time.

It wasn't always that way, though.

I always wanted to be a mechanic.

You know, I always had a knack...

for fixing things,

getting to the insides of things.

Like safes.

Well, that's how it

ended up, anyways.

Lately, I've been having a bit

of a disagreement with an old boss.

I should imagine disputes in your

line of work are hard to settle.

Challenging, yeah.

What's the best thing

you've ever stolen?

I'm beginning to think I

haven't stolen it yet.

Aren't you the charmer.

It's been lovely.

Lovely to meet you, Peter Lake.

Listen, I have to leave New York.

A few months at most.

Let that disagreement blow over.

But maybe when I get back,

I was wondering if...

I'm going to the country myself.

And by the time you get back...

I'll already be dead.

Please don't steal anything

on your way out.

Horse.

What have you gotten

me into, horse?

Table! That one.

Mr. Soames, sir.

How many are you going to have?

Just keep them coming.

I'll tell you what

they're trying to do.

What they're trying to do is to

fill the whole sky with stars.

They got little spots all picked out up

there for each and every virtuous soul.

Ain't no room in the heavens for the

likes of us, though, boys. Heh.

No room for Pearly Soames.

No room at all.

I wonder how they choose

the color of their wings.

I've always wanted wings.

I'd like a pair of wings myself,

you know?

Anything more, sir?

Oh, yes, please.

I would like to have a South

African spotted eagle owl...

uh, if you could butterfly

it, thank you...

and pan-fry it, uh, with some

potatoes would be lovely.

A little bit of parsley on top. Take

off the beak and the feet, please.

I'm sorry, sir. Don't got no owl.

Find her.

You find her, and

you're gonna find him.

- Find who?

- The girl.

- What girl?

- The red-haired girl.

Which red-haired girl?

That one. You see, Romeo?

That red-haired girl.

The one who is his destiny.

That all of it, miss?

All of it? Heh.

No, not even close.

What?

I just remembered the day we pulled you out

of the drink in that silly little boat.

I need some friendly advice.

I met a girl.

- Oh, I see.

- We've nothing in common.

Hmm.

- She's dying.

- Well, aren't we all?

Well, not just dying.

She's consumptive.

- Ah.

- Near death.

We've only just met.

- I feel like I've known her a thousand years.

- Hmm.

Pearly's on top of me. If I don't get out

of town, I'm as good as killing myself.

Peter, is there a question here?

What should I do?

When I think of her...

I've never felt this way before.

Why now?

Peter, our people have 10 songs.

The songs tell us that inside

of each of us is a miracle.

And that miracle is meant for one

person, and one person alone.

And when we're close,

the universe reaches down...

and helps us fulfill our destiny.

And the universe helps us?

How, exactly?

Well, the universe sends

us spirit guides.

Sometimes they speak to us

through small children.

They often appear as animals.

One is Athansor. He's

the Dog of the East.

He sometimes appears

as a white horse.

Perhaps this girl is the person

that your miracle is for.

But if so, know this:

- Chaos has agents too.

- What are you talking about?

God and the devil?

Angels and demons?

Those are some of the

newer names, yes.

All I know...

is that I'm pulled to her...

like air when I'm under the water.

So, what are you standing here

talking to me for?

Driver?

I'm afraid he's become indisposed.

Suddenly come into a small fortune

by his standards, I imagine.

Pearly Soames.

And you might be?

Beverly Penn.

Beverly Penn.

Well...

Peter does like to reach above

his station, doesn't he?

And you've got a touch of the

fever, haven't you, button?

Already only half here.

Interesting.

You know Peter?

Peter Lake?

Know him? Oh, yes.

We're associates, you might say.

Well...

past tense, anyway.

The boy had such potential.

Could he steal.

Like art, like physics.

I raised him as my own.

I had him pegged to inherit

the keys to the kingdom.

But little Peter...

he started to having ideas.

There's how to steal a diamond

brooch without spilling blood.

Here's how to take a ring

and leave the finger.

But, you see, Beverly Penn...

in my line...

it's the ripples that

give the work meaning.

Ideas...

they can do more good than harm.

And that would be the opposite

of the plan, you see.

It's doing harm that

is the very point.

I might not go upstate

until tomorrow.

- Hmm.

- No bother at all.

- I'd be very happy to pay you.

- Beautiful.

Sick.

- Too young to die.

- I'm not afraid of you.

I'll bet that you're who

his miracle is for.

My father has a strict policy

when it comes to kidnappers.

He has to save you.

If you can't be saved by him...

job's done.

Mission accomplished.

I love blood on the

snow, Beverly Penn.

Especially virginal blood.

Unspoiled.

Unmolested.

Beverly!

No!

- Hold on.

- Peter Lake.

- Go fast!

- Yes, clearly.

We can't outrun them forever.

I know! We have to

get above the city.

Go north along the river.

- Peter! That's way too far down!

- Hold on!

- Hold on?

- Hold on!

Peter. Peter, wait!

How is that even possible?

I don't know. This horse.

We can't follow them up there.

- Why not?

- The rules.

A little dispute a couple hundred

years ago. Shortsighted.

Well, we almost had him.

Almost is not good enough, Romeo.

Do you want the job or not, Dingy?

I need to see the Judge.

Are you all right?

All the excitement...

and your condition.

I'm perfect.

Good.

Head upriver.

Beverly!

Thank you.

- Okay?

- Yeah.

Hello, little one.

Mm.

I've only known the city.

It's called the Lake

of the Coheeries.

I've been coming here

since I was a little girl.

My father says nothing happens

here that isn't supposed to.

Hello.

Hi. I'm Willa.

Willa. How are you, Willa?

Are you Beverly's boyfriend?

Let's go inside.

I'm sure Father will have something

to say about the matter.

Do you take wine with your meals?

Sometimes.

That's good.

We'll have wine tonight.

Okay.

- Would claret be all right with you?

- Anything.

But, uh, don't you pronounce it...

"claret"?

No. Claret.

You pronounce the T.

Just as in fillet.

Fillet?

I always thought it was "fillet."

No, it's fillet.

Just as in wallet. You don't say

"wallet," do you? You say wallet.

I SEE.

- You know what?

- Sir?

You look like a crook.

Who are you? What do you do?

What is your relationship to Beverly?

Are you aware of her special condition?

What are your motivations,

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